A former Google executive who spent more than 20 years at the company will keynote Ann Arbor SPARK's Women in Tech event Monday, Sept. 28, at Washtenaw Community College.

Alana Karen, author of "The Adventures of Women in Tech," now in its second edition, will headline the gathering at the Morris J. Lawrence Building. The event runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as part of a2Tech360, SPARK's annual innovation festival. Washtenaw Community College President Rose B. Bellanca will give opening remarks, according to the event's official page.

Tickets are $75. The price includes a light breakfast, lunch and a networking reception, and each attendee will receive a companion workbook based on Karen's book. The event has expanded to 300 seats this year, and Jennifer Hayman, SPARK's senior vice president of marketing, communication and events, told WEMU the event will likely sell out.

Panels and marketplace

Two panel discussions will feature speakers from Oracle, Charles Schwab, Ann Arbor-based Switchbox and Cargility. Confirmed panelists include Beatrice Fullan of Oracle, Kaitlyn Kunz of Charles Schwab, Heather Kelly of Switchbox and Praveena Ramaswami of Cargility, according to an Ann Arbor SPARK press release. Additional confirmed speakers include Juliana Ashrifeh of Georgetown University, Emefa Boamah, Elaine Ezekiel of Atomic Object and Anne Marsan of CareEvolution.

A Resource Marketplace will let attendees explore women-led startups, AI demonstrations, career resources and mentorship programs.

New daytime format and local AI app

This year's event shifts to a daytime format for the first time, a change SPARK said came from attendee feedback. Hayman described Women in Tech as one of the most popular events during a2Tech360 and said it has grown every year.

"It shouldn't just be a great conversation while you're in the room," Hayman told WEMU. "We want people to leave with actual contacts and resources, relationships, and ideas they can act on."

SPARK has also partnered with Nunchi, an AI-powered networking app built by local founder Trista Van Tine. The app will offer attendees personalized introductions based on their professional backgrounds and goals before, during and after the event.

Part of a larger festival

Women in Tech is one of eight signature events during a2Tech360, which runs Sept. 22 through Oct. 2. The 2025 festival drew more than 4,196 registrations and featured 79 participating companies, according to DBusiness Magazine.

Registration and the full speaker lineup are available on the event's official page.